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Sunday, April 6, 2014

Cory Schneider has recaptured the rhythm in net he had before the Olympic break and is helping the Devils climb back into the Eastern Conference playoff race.

He was strong again in making 26 saves in 3-1 win tonight over the Carolina Hurricanes at PNC Arena. It was Schneider’s first road win since a 3-2 overtime victory in Dallas on Jan. 30, but he has played well his last five starts, plus his relief appearance against Florida last Monday.

Over his last six appearances, Schneider has allowed only seven goals on 135 shots (.948 save percentage). He had allowed at least three goals in each of his four starts before that, including a career-high seven in a 7-4 loss in Detroit on March 7.

“He’s been excellent,” Devils coach Pete DeBoer said. “You need big performances this time of year in order to stay in the race and we’re getting them from a lot of different people, including our goalie.”

This was Schneider’s third consecutive start overall and the fifth time this season that he started on back-to-back nights. He admitted he was “a little bit” tired at times tonight.

“There were a couple times on the power play when they had it in our end for a minute, minute and a half and you do a lot of movement,” he said. “But when you’re kind of in a rhythm and you’re not thinking about it, you’re feeling pretty good and you’ve got to find a way. Everyone feels a little bit tired, but you don’t feel it nearly as much when you pull games like this out.”

Schneider said he’ll be fine physically to start again Monday night against Calgary if called upon.

“I assume so,” he said.

***Rookie defenseman Jon Merrill returned to the Devils’ lineup after missing three games because of injuries he sustained from being struck in the right side of the face with a deflected shot last Saturday against the Islanders. Although it was his first game in a week and he had only one full practice with the team, Merrill said he felt comfortable in playing 19:03 in ice time.

“First couple of shifts you feel a little bit anxious when you get out there, but after that I feel like I settled right in and it was a huge win for our team,” he said.

Merrill wore a full cage on his helmet to protect his face (he had the stitches removed from the cut in his right cheek), but said he had no trouble adjusting.

“It was fine,” he said. “I practiced with it a few times so it was fine.”

Devils coach Pete DeBoer said he did not hesitate to put Merrill back in for such a big game.

“He’s been that good this year that my only hesitation was whether we were going to put him in a tough spot,” DeBoer said. “But after I watched him practice the other day I think we were all pretty confident he could help.”

***Playing in his first game in Carolina since being traded to the Devils on March 5, former Hurricane Tuomo Ruutu picked up an assist on Travis Zajac’s game-winner to extend his points streak to four games (two goals, two assists).

“Obviously, it was special to come here, but it was such a big game that I just went out there and thought about the win,” Ruutu said. “In a different situation, maybe earlier in the season, it’s a little bit different. It’s been such a big game for us, I just tried to be in a zone and not think about it too much.”

A few times, including when Ruutu was called for tripping 7:53, the Canes fans gave him his old “Ruuuuuuuu!” greeting.

“The first time when I came here these fans always treated me well and the first game here I thought they were actually booing me when I first heard (that),” he said.

Ruutu was able to stop by and see his wife, Emilia, two younger daughters earlier in the day. They have remained in Carolina since the trade. Ruutu had been back to see them just once since infant daughter Milla was born on March 13.

***After buzzing around the Carolina net and just missing on a couple of shots, Damien Brunner decided to try something different to get the puck in the net past goaltender Anton Khudobin.

With 1:50 left in the second period, Brunner scooped the puck up on his stick blade behind the net and then tried to toss it in the top right corner lacrosse style. The puck came off his stick, though, as he tried to complete the move.

“I had so much room up top there,” Brunner said. “I got it on (the stick blade), but sometimes at the end of the period the ice is bad and I got a lot of ice on my stick, so I didn’t get the perfect control. But I think (Khudobin) got his stick in there.”

That was not the first time Brunner tried that move.

“I scored in the Swiss League like that and I tried in the playoffs last year (with Detroit) against Anaheim,” he said. “I didn’t get it up and (Ryan) Getzlaf almost killed me after. He hit me after.”

Undeterred, Brunner vowed, “I will try it again.”

***The Devils improved to 8-1-0 when dressing seven defensemen. Rookie defenseman Eric Gelinas played only at left wing at even strength tonight, though. He also got a shift on the power play point. (The Devils had only one power play).***The Devils will have Sunday off. They will be back on the ice for their morning skate Monday at Prudential Center.

About

TOM GULITTI has covered the New Jersey Devils for The Record since 2002. Prior to that, he covered the New York Rangers for four years. Gulitti joined The Record in 1998 after six years at The North Jersey Herald News. He graduated from Binghamton University in 1991 with a Bachelor of Arts in Rhetoric-Literature.